


Unexpected Duet

by Sapphire_Princess



Series: Piano Trio [1]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Chance Meetings, F/M, First Part in a Series, Next part is Q/Bond/Vesper, Q has a name, this part is Q/vesper
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-02
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2019-06-01 12:05:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15142706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphire_Princess/pseuds/Sapphire_Princess
Summary: Years before he thinks he's ready to apply to MI6 and become a quartermaster (and quelling any thought of one day becoming Q), Simon meets someone who takes his breath away at a Graduate faire.Vesper Lynd is there by the luck of the drawer and she didn't expect to meet anyone who would hold her attention the way Simon has.She doesn't intend to miss out on any possibility of getting to know him better.





	1. Dearly Beloved

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a particularly rare pare, even I haven't ever written them without James Bond also being involved. The 007 Fest seemed the perfect opportunity to work on this and show it to as many people who're interested!  
> I also couldn't think of a way to call Q, Q, so he's Simon in this, and R (when she shows up) is Laura.

She’s been catching his eye all evening and he finds himself searching her out in the gathering of students, alumni and special guests that flood the Great Hall of his university. 

He’s only really there because his departments are trying to herald him as some kind of academic genius - which he is, but he doesn’t like to show off - and he couldn’t find a decent excuse to get out of it.

It’s mostly just standing around and looking at large poster boards of the university’s achievements, accepting drinks from the student staff walking around with trays full of them, and trying not to drink too much lest he embarrass himself.

He could actually go and talk to her, but she’s from one of the businesses, companies and agencies that have sent representatives from their graduate schemes, and he doesn’t want her to think he’s looking for a job.

His actual plans involve starting his second PhD and maybe taking some time to study engineering. He’s sure they can be persuaded to let him…. but not sure enough to ask without attending _this_.

He is sure that he’s imagining the looks she keeps sending his way but when she meets his gaze for the second time in as many minutes Simon makes his way over incase she’s trying to get rid of the two people currently talking to her.

“Ah, there you are,” she says with a smile when he reaches her. The two students immediately get the message and leave. “I was wondering when I’d get to talk to you.” 

Simon feels his face flush and can’t help but smile at her - albeit shyly - and puts down his champagne flute to stop himself from fiddling with it.

He’s dressed smartly in a shirt and jumper with grey trousers, his hair is as it always is - clean but otherwise free to do whatever it wants - and his glasses are - at least in his opinion - timeless.

The woman in front of him has beautiful dark hair, eyes somewhere between green and blue and grey and a presence thats drawing him further and further in.

“Vesper.” She offers him her hand and he takes it, shaking as firmly as he can.

“Simon.”

“I get the feeling you’re about as happy to be here as I am,” she says kindly, dropping the formal pretence she’d been using with a relaxing roll of her shoulders. It makes her look less… not intimidating, she didn’t look that, but maybe more approachable. 

Simon is convinced he looks like the slightly besotted fool he is.

“It’s necessary,” he tells her. “Just a little dull for my tastes.” She raises her eyebrows. “Not that I… I mean I don’t enjoy going to clubs or anything particularly loud and crowded, but there are better ways to spend an evening than standing around and talking about… whatever it is I’m supposed to talk about.”

Vesper smiles at him and Simon finds it does things to his insides that he was not expecting. He doesn’t - as a rule - feel attraction this immediate with anyone. As his singular ex - and only - boyfriend will attest to.

“And what is it that you’re supposed to talk about?” she asks, her smile curling and her eyes twinkling.

“My academic achievements.”

“Which are,” she prompts.

“A Masters degree in mathematics and computer science, which I completed in two years, then a PhD in advanced security safeguards which I also completed in two years,” he tells her, undoubtably looking more sheepish and wary of judgement with every moment of silence that goes by.

“Beautiful and intelligent,” Vesper remarks, taking a small step closer to him.

“Yes,” he says, feeling a little bold. “You are.”

Her nose crinkles in the moment before she laughs, eyes bright and cheeks rosy. She shakes her head but doesn’t dispute his compliment. 

“I do have to ask, given your impressive achievements, how old are you? I’m not concerned, you wouldn’t be drinking this evening if you were under 18, but I’ll admit I’m curious.”

Simon smiles. “I’m twenty two.”

“And I’m twenty seven,” she says with a slight wince.

Simon blinks. “I wasn’t going to ask,” he reassures her, not liking the shadow edging into the corners of her eyes. “I was, if I was bold enough, which apparently I am, going to ask if you were… umm… single.” It pains him to ask in a way he considers to be tactless and inelegant. 

She bites her slip and steps closer to him, not enough to be invading his space, but enough to indicate to anyone else in the hall that this is a private conversation.

“I am. I’m not in the habit of asking beautiful strangers to rescue me from dull conversations unless I actually want to get to know them better. You’re certainly more forward than I was expecting but none the less lovely.”

Simon can’t think of a single thing to say to that, and he doubts his internal whoops and cheering are things Vesper would appreciate, not given how wary she seemed to be about their age difference… but then again he doesn’t really think anyone would appreciate that sort of response.

“Simon?” she prompts and his attention snaps back to her.

“Sorry.” He’s blinking rapidly and knows his hands are shaking.

“It’s fine. We can go somewhere else, if you like? As far as I’m concerned I’ve spent long enough handing out the company cards and details.”

He looks around and notices that though the hall is still very busy there are less people than there were half an hour ago.

“Where would you like to go?” he asks, not really sure where he can take her. Or if she even lives in the city. Some of the companies are based in London, Edinburgh, or Europe… only a few are local. 

“Somewhere quiet and peaceful.”

Simon nods and thinks. No point in taking her to any of the bars in the Guild or Staff House. This time of night they’ll be busy and filled with people - even on a Thursday, not that it’s ever really quiet at any point during the week.

“Alright, do you need to grab your coat?” he asks.

She smiles. “It’s in the cloak room. Shall we?” she offers him her arm and he slides his hand into the crook of her elbow, hoping that she won’t comment on how much he’s shaking.

*

They don’t go far. Simon takes her into the music department and they settle in the large lounge area. It’s only 7 in the evening and there are a few people around here and there but none of them near the piano where he chooses to sit.

“Do you have a degree in music as well?” Vesper asks, settling down on the red sofa and laying her coat over the arm rest.

“No, but I play piano and anyone who can is always welcome in here. It’s more peaceful than my office in computer science and I didn’t think you’d want to put up with any unnecessary noise.”

This is as far as his plan will take him, he thinks, as silence settles between them. He just doesn’t know what to say. He could offer to play something but he doesn’t want to show off.

“It’s lovely, the whole university is lovely. Much nicer than mine, though I don’t suppose you get too much time to enjoy it, with all the time you must spend studying.”

Simon shrugs but turns on the sofa to face her. “I get bored if I don’t keep my mind active, so I asked them to let me see how far I could get through the work and I just kept going. Some of my papers and ideas have gotten enough attention that they funded my PhD without question and completing it so quickly meant I could afford to live on my own… which naturally gave me more time to work.”

“And yet you’re not at all afraid to speak to strange women at boring events,” she teases, eyes sparkling when she smiles.

He wants to kiss her, he really, really wants to kiss her. He finds that he wants to do a whole lot more than that…. which again surprises him. He’s not at all like this normally.

“I’m just focussed, more than anti social. I have friends in the department and people I spend time with. I just have different interests than most. I find coding and programming endlessly freeing and exciting, most people don’t.” He shrugs and looks away, feeling a little self conscious.

Vesper smiles. “I have a first class Masters degree in Mathematics with honours from Edinburgh and I’m the youngest fully qualified accountant in my field that my company has ever employed. I went to university aged 16 and I’m fluent in three languages, believe me, I understand.” It’s Vesper’s turn to look embarrassed. “Usually I’d worry someone would think I’m showing off if I told them that, but I think you understand. The numbers kept me focused and my work keeps me occupied, even if sometimes my bosses don’t take me as seriously as they should.”

“Is that how you ended up here this evening?” he asks, moving closer on the sofa but not yet brave enough to touch her.

She smiles and shakes her head. “No. They literally pulled our names out of a hat. An actual hat, because although it means a whole long weekend away from the office, no one wanted to come and actually speak to prospective graduates. I have to give three separate talks to the maths, physics and computer science departments tomorrow as well.”

Simon realises he may as well ask and find out. “Do you live in London?”

“Yes.” She wrinkles her nose again. “More because my job is there than anything else, I don’t think I’d choose to live there otherwise. It always seems so needless crowded, the trouble is that I doubt I’d find a job as interesting if I lived anywhere else.”

Simon smiles. “What exactly is it that you do?”

“Fraud investigations, spotting patterns, combing accounts, that sort of thing. It’s actually fascinating when you see things start to come together, but not many people appreciate the actual work, they’re more interested in the results.”

“I know what you mean. Trying to explain most of what I do to other people just makes them recoil, yet they all want to use their computers and laptops without any real understanding of just how they work in the first place. They also have a startling disregard for the safety of their information.”

“Is that what you want to do, then?” she asks, looking at his hand currently resting on his knee.

“Something like that, yes. I do have a career path in mind but I think there’s more for me to learn first.”

Vesper’s smile is almost overwhelming. Simon meets her gaze and lets himself just look. He doesn’t move towards her but he’s open to whatever she wants and he thinks she might know that already.

“I also play piano,” she says a moment later, clearly making an effort to keep herself in check. 

“You can play this one, if you, if you want to.” He coughs awkwardly and runs his hand through his hair, looking away.

“Simon,” she says and he feels the gentle weight of her hand on his shoulder. It’s sending wave after wave of tingles across his skin. “I’m going to guess that this isn’t at all how you expected your evening to go.” He nods but keeps his eyes from hers. “It’s not how I thought mine would go either,” her voice is softer, gentler now. “But neither of us are they type to jump into bed with someone we’ve just met - especially when they live an hour and a half away by train.” He nods again. “Come and play piano with me.”

“I’ve never played a duet.” Then he cringes and looks at her. “I don’t mean that as a euphemism or anything of the sort. I mean, I actually haven’t played a duet on the piano since my very early lessons. No one else in my family plays piano.” His face is bright red again - he can feel the heat in his cheeks.

Her thumb rubs his shoulder and he lifts his hand to rest on hers, smiling at her shyly and hoping she understands.

“Vesper, this really doesn’t happen to me.” He swallows but can’t find any other words to explain it.

“Me neither. I find myself suddenly very glad it was my name that was pulled out of the hat. But I would also like to play piano with you, the actual piano. If you’d like to?”

“Yes.” He smiles. “I’d love to.”

*

Two hours later and they’re still there. The department is open for another hour before they close their doors for the night and a couple of other students are working away at the tables across the lounge.

Vesper and Simon piled their coats and bags at the side of the piano where they’ve been playing on and off both separately and together. 

She is wonderfully intelligent and talented, warm in a way he wasn’t expecting and she seems to be really enjoying herself. 

So is he. He is genuinely, genuinely happy to be spending his time with her and it’s infinitely more enjoyable than he evening of reading or watching TV at his flat.

“Where are you staying?” he asks, letting his fingers play a soft series of notes instead of another piece.

“We’ve all be given on site accommodation, I didn’t know universities kept rooms free for visitors during term time, though at the price they rent for, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.” Vesper also keeps her attention on the piano keys, adding her own notes every now and again.

“Would you accept it at face value if I offered to walk you back to your room?”

“Only if you agree to let me see you again tomorrow.”

Simon puts his left hand on top of her right on the keys. “I’d love to.”

*

They leave shortly afterwards, more because Vesper has to check her notes and make sure everything is in order for her talks the following morning and early afternoon, than because Simon wants to end their evening. But his grandparents have raised him to be respectful and he doesn’t want to rush whatever it is he and Vesper might become.

She offered her hand the moment they’d left the building, and he feels as though he’s floating with how happy the feeling of her fingers linked with his makes him.

He likes her so much he feels like he’s vibrating with it, but it’s not the sexual rush of lust he hears so many people describe. Of course he wants to kiss her, and hold her, and be with her but this is so much more than physical and it’s taking his breath away. 

_Shit shit shit shit Shit._

“I would invite you to breakfast but I know I’m expected to go with the others who are also here to give talks and I’d rather get it over with with as quickly as possible. But I’m free from 2pm and I have no other plans until I have to get on a train home on Monday morning,” Vesper says as they reach the room she’s staying in. It’s in the largest - and newest - halls of residence, on the other side of the university to where he lives but he really, really doesn't mind the walk. It’s a pleasant late spring evening and though the sun has long set it’s well lit and the night is clear.

“I can be free to meet you as soon as you’re ready, but I have no idea what you might want to do. We have a lovely art gallery and museum in the city centre, it’s better than the one on campus.” He has no idea if she even likes art, but he has nothing to loose at this point.

“That sounds lovely. My last talk is in your department, I can meet you in the lobby afterwards. Or your office.”

Simon squeezes her hand. “I could come to your talk and look extra interested, unless that’s a bit much?”

“You’ll have to sit through the rest of them I’m afraid, we all have fifteen minutes each plus questions. Scintillating, I’m sure you’ll agree.” They reach her room and suddenly all the cliches he was supposed to experience at university seem to be coming true… if not in completely the wrong contexts.

“I’ll meet you afterwards if I can’t make the talk, but can I give you my mobile number? And my office details incase you need somewhere to hide?” He pulls out his Motorola and hands it over to her. 

Vesper smiles as she adds her details and reaches for her own to save Simon’s contact information from the text message he sends her.

He does try not to hold his phone reverently against his chest but finds he does so anyway as he watches her put her’s away.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he says again, wondering if it would be okay to kiss her.

“Good night, Simon,” Vesper says and leans over, pressing her lips against his burning cheek for a moment. 

She lingers and presses her forehead against his, he brings his hands up to rest on her arms, but it’s more to keep the careful distance between them than to bring her closer.

“Goodnight, Vesper.” He nudges their noses together then kisses her cheek, parting them both. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He waits until her door is closed then walks home, back across campus and along the canal until he reaches his flat. He sits by the window and stares out into the night for a while, a cup of earl grey steaming in his lap. 

He needs to get a hold of himself by tomorrow but right now he's so fascinated by his unexpected evening that he wants to enjoy how this feels, how excited he is to spend more time with Vesper Lynd.

***

Vesper crawls into bed and rests against the head board stunned into silence. She doesn’t do this, she has _never_ just spontaneously spent an evening with someone and instantly liked them this much.

Simon is charming and honest, wonderfully intelligent but not arrogant about it and just so…. She wants to get to know him, she wants to see him again right away but she is a grown woman - a whole five years his senior - and though his age isn’t really too much of a concern, her behaviour is.

That being said Vesper hasn't ever been the kind of person to turn down something - someone in this case - because she’s worried about how it makes her look or appear. She wants to see Simon again, wants to get the boring parts of tomorrow over with and let their afternoon take them wherever it goes.

She isn’t even particularly bothered that she offered him her entire weekend. It beats the three books she's brought with her and the canal walks she was planning, though she thinks maybe Simon will indulge her with the latter.

***


	2. Lazy Afternoons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At the end of this chapter there are a few small bits of info about a few of the things that are mentioned in this chapter.

Simon does make it to the talk. 

His former PhD supervisor has been giving him strange looks all morning but at least agreed to consider his second PhD application. Then proceeds to stare at him when Simon walks with him to the lecture room holding the post grad talks.

Simon smiles and takes a seat at the back, catching Vesper’s eye but doing little more than sitting back and letting his mind wander.

Officially he has very little work to do at the moment, he has no undergrad labs to supervise and no work to mark. Since earning his doctorate he’s been getting through his work pretty quickly. 

His morning was dedicated - aside from the time his mind wandered to Vesper - to reading up on some basic engineering principles and flicking through the textbooks he’d bought from the Waterstones on campus the week before.

He’s quietly made sure to clear his schedule until Tuesday - just incase - but there is plenty to keep him occupied if his initial attraction to Vesper fails to last the day. He doubts it could lessen even if he tries… but he has always been one to prepare for as many eventualities as possible.

“Good afternoon,” Vesper greets when the talk is over.

“Shall we?” he asks, standing and leading the way out into the department, taking the shortest route outside. “Do you need to drop anything off in your room?’” he asks, just incase.

“No. I left all the leaflets and business cards in each department. I’m all yours.” She smiles and Simon swallows as heat rushes over his skin and settles in his cheeks.

“Have you eaten?” he asks, clearing his throat and offering her his hand.

“No, have you?”

Simon shakes his head. “The museum has a tea room and cafe, if you’d like to eat there?”

“Sounds lovely,” Vesper says, standing much closer to him than she needs to as they walk along the cobbles to the train station.

*  
The museum cafe is large and bright, though it’s style is a rather confused mix of victorian and modern. 

Simon has never eaten here but it’s pleasant enough - if a little expensive - and both he and Vesper have found things on the menu they’ll eat. He is notoriously fussy, but baked potatoes are always a safe bet. Vesper even allowed him to pay, which he appreciates more than he thought he would - not because of any false sense of how things ‘should be done’, but because it was his suggestion.

They talk about their interests, music lessons, London, university experiences and even books they’ve read and the last films they saw at the cinema. They run out of food and tea before they run out of things to talk about so they wander the art gallery and museum well into the afternoon.

Vesper’s hand in his is soft and warm, her fingers smooth and strong in his own. He doesn’t think he’s ever found so much simple pleasure in hand holding…. but then his previous partner hadn’t liked it, thought it overrated and sappy. It’s unsurprising that Simon was the one to break it off; tired and worn out by his attitude to their relationship.

“Would it be forward of me to ask what you want to do after this?” Vesper asks. They’re sat on one of the benches in the grand entrance to the art gallery, neither wanting to leave just yet.

“No more forward than my assumption that we will be doing something.”

Vesper leans her head on his shoulder and after a moment he drops her hand to put his arm around her waist.

“You can come back to mine if you’d like? I live alone so there won’t be any unneeded interruptions. I can even cook a few things very well and a few others to an acceptable standard, as well as plenty of restaurants here if you’d prefer.”

“Are you offering me a quiet evening in?”

“Yes, I suppose I am.” He turns his head enough to press his face into her hair and doesn’t think he imagines the shiver he feels run through her.

“Well I accept. We need to save something for tomorrow, after all.”

Simon laughs and presses kisses against her hair.

***

There’s an awkward moment at the train station when they stop just outside of it.

“It’s easy enough to get to my flat along the canal but I wondered if you… um….” He looks away and scrunches his eyes closed.

Vesper watches him with equal parts sympathy and embarrassment. Maybe it would have been easier if they’d tumbled into bed yesterday night, but it likely would have also been overwhelming for them both.

Simon is very obviously as startled as she is to be so interested in someone so quickly. The night was probably better spent apart to allow them to get their heads around it. 

Maybe it’s because it seems too easy. She feels comfortable enough that she could go back to her room, pack her things into her small case and spend the weekend with Simon. Vesper is very good at reading people and nothing about him worries her. He intrigues her and she wants to get to know him but she isn’t worried about anything dark or dangerous.

Given his background she thinks he’s likely run all the checks on her that he can; she doesn’t blame him. He only has her word that this is as far from normal behaviour for her as it gets. Her colleagues think she’s stand offish and maybe even a little arrogant. She only joins them for drinks if she has no other choice and hates the falseness demonstrated by several of them as they try to climb the pay-ladder.

But Simon is nothing like any man she has so far met. He’s bright and intelligent, kind and wonderful to talk to, she also wasn’t at all exaggerating when she called him beautiful. He absolutely is.

With that in mind she steps around to once-again be in his line-of-sight.

“Is your flat clean?” she asks, teasing gently.

“My grandmother approves of it. She’s been my standard for cleanliness since I was a child.”

Vesper smiles. It’s the first time he's mentioned any family in more than vague general terms.

“Then that will do for me. We’re both intelligent enough to know what we want from this weekend and if we change our minds, then we change our minds. That being said, I think it might be better for us to head back to my room and grab my suitcase.”

Simon’s cheeks turn scarlet again. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

***

They collect the rest of her things and take the train to the station closest to his flat. Although Simon has admitted he enjoys walking along the canals in the city, the suitcase won’t take kindly to the pebbled paths that line most of it. Instead he suggests walking along them in the morning as they mostly follow the path the train will take back into town.

Vesper is quietly pleased by this and walks with her hand in his and her own suitcase trailing behind her.When they reach his flat he shows her inside and she leaves her suitcase in the hall by the bedroom door. 

It’s a small flat, not surprising given the location, but it has an open plan kitchen and living room with two doors leading off from it; the bathroom and the bedroom. Still, it’s obvious Simon has done with it what he can. He has a TV complete with DVD and tape player, a bookshelf with a selection of films and TV shows, CD’s and also Vinyl. This grabs her attention and she can’t help but ask.

Simon smiles. “I know it’s a strange thing for anyone to have now but my grandparents have a wonderful collection and I’m afraid I’ve been rather spoilt by it. When my PhD proposal was accepted and I moved in here they gave me their spare deck and all my favourites to keep here with me.”

“A piece of home away from home.”

His smile is shy but so, so warm. “Yes. I get so busy that it’s hard to visit them as often as I’d like, though they do come here for a weekend once a month. Not this weekend,” he adds. “That would have been very awkward.”

Vesper chuckles. “I do think it might be a bit soon to be introduced to your family.”

Simon laughs along with her and heads into his kitchen area, filling the kettle then settling it back on it’s stand to boil with the flick of a switch.

“They were here last weekend to celebrate the official confirmation of my PhD. I do have to wait until the summer graduations to be actually awarded it but I am technically a doctor of computer science.”

“They must be very proud.”

Simon takes two mugs out of the cupboard then turns back to her. 

“They are, almost embarrassingly so but I’m not ashamed to admit I appreciate their attention and their visits. There’s a picture of them on the shelf over there.” He gestures to the second bookshelf that contains pictures, a few figurines and his degree certificates. 

Vesper notices that he didn’t just achieve a joint honours Masters; he actually has individual Masters in Mathematics and Computer Science. _Utterly brilliant._

Next to them is a series of pictures of him and his grandparents at different ages. In the oldest he can’t be more than five and the most recent is from his graduation - she thinks it’s Mathematics based on the colours of his graduation gown but she can’t tell for certain, not being familiar enough with the colours his university uses.

She notices - but knows she won’t comment on - the lack of any parents or siblings. Vesper is very much not only an only child but also an orphan. Simon was luckier than she was, there wasn’t anyone who wanted to take her in when her parents died and instead she’d lived in boarding schools that allowed students to stay over the summer. Followed by university accommodation. 

“You look like your grandmother,” she tells him.

“Yes, everyone seems to think so. She’s the one who first put me in front of a computer, so we have that in common as well, but she’s generally more outgoing than both me and my grandfather.”

“Do you ever get to visit them?”

“Yes, though it’s normally only for a week or so at the end of every term and a couple of weeks over the summer. They don’t live too far away - Bourton on the Water.”

“Where Brum lives?”

That starlets a surprised laugh out of him. “Yes. They have him in the museum there, or at least they used to.”

“I think I was probably a bit too old for it at the time but I remember it always being on TV.”

Simon smiles and makes tea, leaving the milk and sugar for Vesper to add or leave as she wishes.

“It’s already a major tourist destination in the summer - coaches of people from all over the world - but it got much busier when that show came out. It is beautiful there but it’s quiet. I much prefer it here.”

“I’m surprised,” Vesper admits as he leads her to the sofa. “That you didn’t go to university in London, or Oxbridge.”

Simon puts his tea down and tucks his legs up next to him, he seems pleased when Vesper sits close by.

“I didn’t want to. My sixth form sent me on the gifted and talented programs so that I could visit them but I just didn’t like the feel of the places. They are undoubtedly brilliant academic institutions in their own right but I didn’t want to spend years in places I didn’t like. I’m also not really a fan of London, though I’ll admit that if I manage to get the job I’m aiming for after my second PhD, that I’m going to end up living there. I suppose I didn’t want to inflict it upon myself before I had to.”

Vesper doesn’t pry about what exactly it is he wants to do because he seems reluctant to discuss it but she can agree with him there.

“It really does get too much at times. I think I’d be okay if I could get a flat in the Docklands but they’re mostly still under development and startlingly expensive.”

Simon winces at the thought and shuffles himself closer to her.

“The fact that you’re not willing to sacrifice your soul for the kind of promotion needed to get one works in your favour.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Simon picks up his tea again and sips it slowly, moving closer again until he can rest his head on her shoulder.

Vesper hums in approval and puts her empty mug on the table as carefully as she can, putting her arms around him and holding him closely.

“Tired?” she asks, knowing he must be as aware as she is that this is not what they thought would happen when the door closed behind them.

“Yes. I’ll admit that I didn’t sleep very well last night.” Simon snuggles closer to her and her heart flutters. “Though that isn’t altogether unusual, on this occasion it’s because I was equal parts nervous and excited about today.” 

She doesn’t know quite what to say to that and doesn’t think it will work in her favour if she expresses how happy that makes her. So instead she shares a truth of her own. “I slept better than I was expecting, but I'm afraid yesterday had completely worn me out. I did spend all morning waiting until it was over so I could see you. Thank you for coming to my last talk, by the way.”

“You’re welcome, I should probably tell you that I wasn’t really paying much attention to what was being said,” he admits.

“I wasn’t paying much attention either.” She slides her hand up into his hair and scrunches her fingers gently. If Simon’s more comfortable relaxing like this then she can’t really complain, in fact if anything it’s refreshing - the idea of physical contact is as enjoyable in and of its self without it being a prelude to sex.

***

They turn on the television and Simon puts on Beauty and the Beast. Vesper was amused he owned it and admitted to not having seen the extended version, so he put it on.

About half way through, he starts to become hyperaware of how close she is to him, of every time her fingers card through his hair or the rise and fall of her chest as she breathes. The bare skin of her neck is right in front of him and all he’d really have to do his turn his head and press his mouth against it.

He swallows as heat shimmers downwards and every point of contact between them starts to tingle again. He’s also inwardly glad that today she’s wearing a shirt made of that soft and floaty material, instead of the stiff collar she’d been wearing yesterday.

“Vesper?” he asks, looking up at her with what he hopes is a look of enquiry and not lust - the latter would embarrass him too much to contemplate.

“Simon?” her eyes are dark this close and her lips are curved up in a lovely, knowing smile.

“Can I kiss you?” he asks and her smiles gets wider. 

“Are you always such a gentleman?”

“Not deliberately, but you seem to be enjoying the film so…”

Vesper shifts and he lifts his head, then he’s leaning forwards and pressing his lips to hers. There are sparks, _sparks_ , when her mouth moves under his. He think he might have gasped but she’s deepening the kiss and he’s crawling into her lap, one hand in her hair and the other on her neck.

Vesper’s fingers skirt along the top of his trousers and tentatively slide up his back, leaving trails of wonderful sensation over his skin.

He kisses down her throat and sucks long enough to make her moan but not to leave a mark. When he looks up at her again she just about gives him time to take a breath before he’s being pulled back in and kissed deeply - whole heartedly - and he doesn’t ever want to stop.

He starts unbuttoning her shirt, slow enough that she could stop him if she wanted to, but she doesn’t, even moves her hands from his back to help him remove it. He makes no move to take off her vest top underneath it, but obliges her in removing his jumper - glad he’d chosen to dress down with a tee shirt that morning instead of a shirt.

He also takes his glasses off and places them carefully on the table behind him.

“Short or long sighted?” Vesper asks.

“Short, but I can see you and even the television well enough without them.” 

Vesper nods and they come back together in another kiss, slower this time, more of an exploration of each other. His hands slide under her back and she pulls him flush against her; meaning that now it will be absolutely obvious to her just how turned on he is.

Vesper rests her forehead against his as they catch their breath. At this angle Simon has a rather lovely view of her breasts and the cotton of her bra; he wants to follow his eyes with his hands and his mouth, but he’d rather follow Vesper’s lead and take this at her pace.

She has one hand on his lower back but the other comes up to cup his cheek.

“Simon,” she says, voice rasping on his name.

“Vesper?” he teases, wanting to add a little light to the intensity wrapping its self around them.

“I am more than happy for this to go as far as you want it to.”

He smiles and presses his lips to her’s in a short but firm kiss.

“Good.” In actuality he is equal parts eager and nervous. She’s undoubtedly more experienced at this than him. In fact, he should probably find some way of telling her about that. “I have um…. shit, no matter what anyone says about how easy it should be to talk about sex I still find it unnerving and somewhat embarrassing.”

“I have it on good authority that it’s because we’re British,” Vesper agrees with a smile. “But you needn’t worry, say what you need to say.”

Simon swallows and closes his eyes for a moment. “I have condoms and a few other things in the bottom drawer of my bedside table. Durex, because I don’t like to take chances with… with that. I’m clean, by the way, completely clean. One previous sexual partner and I’ve been tested since - more because there was a free gift bag involved than because I was worried.”

Vesper rubs her thumb along his cheek bone. “I’m on contraception anyway, though admittedly for it’s side affects rather than it’s intended purpose. I’m also clean, I also always carry an emergency box of condoms. And I have only had one previous sexual partner, so we have that in common.”

Simon nods and swallows. “I’ve never had sex with a woman before,” he admits, biting his lip shyly.

“Me neither.” She smiles and presses her lips to his, kissing him with gentle reassurance. “Meaningless sex has never appealed to me, so unless I really wanted someone, I’ve never given it a second thought. I find that I want you very much, and if it puts your mind at ease, there’s less stretching and lubrication involved… unless you want there to be.”

He bites back his immediate response of _‘I love you.’_ And instead lets himself relax and fall into a pattern of kisses and touches until he’s comfortable enough to consider moving.

*

They turn off the TV and DVD player, he grabs his glasses whilst Vesper grabs her shirt and follows him to the bedroom. 

He freaks out a little bit but reasons that, given it’s Vesper he's with, it’s an understandable reaction.

She comes up behind him where he sits on the edge of the bed and slides her hands over his shoulders, down his arms to rest on top of his hands that are clenched into fists at his side.

“We don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to,” she reminds him.

“I want to. I’m just nervous.”

“Then how about we just get into bed and relax together, and take if from there.”

 _That_ , he thinks, _I can do._

He nods and Vesper sits back again, undresses down to her underwear and slides underneath Simon’s summer duvet. (He made sure to change the sheets that morning - just incase) Simon does the same once he’s stripped down to his boxer briefs, rolling himself into Vespers open arms and snuggling closely.

“Better?” she asks.

“Infinitely,” he says, sighing in relief as the skin-on-skin contact soothes him. He may not be a very sexual person but he likes to be physically close to those he cares about.

Soon enough they’re exchanging kisses and touches, and the remainder of their clothing is removed.

Vesper shows him how and where to touch her, and she comes with one hand tangled in his hair and her lips against his neck.

She has to open the condom wrapper for him because his hands are shaking too hard, but he does manage to slide it on and settle into place without too much trouble. She spreads her legs for him and cups his face with her hand, beautiful in her afterglow as she waits for him.

When Vesper tells him he can let go, he does, surrenders to the feel of her around him, below him… present and real and beautiful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just incase....
> 
>  **Brum:** Is a Small old fashioned yellow car and a main character of a children's TV show popular in the 1990's in the UK. [More Info](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brum_\(TV_series\))
> 
>  **Tape Player:** Commonly used term for a VHS cassette tape player.
> 
>  **Oxbridge:** Combined name frequently used when talking about Oxford and Cambridge.


	3. Mad About You

They clean up and change into pyjamas.

Simon makes them dinner and Vesper sits on the counter at his side, swinging her legs in front of her and sipping at a large mug of tea.  
It’s strange to be in her own pyjamas here… but given that she’d brought them with her she couldn’t exactly ask if she could wear some of his. They do look comfortable, his sleep shirt and soft plaid cotton pyjama bottoms… but hers are too. She’s not one for fancy sleepwear - especially when she’s being sent away on work trips.

“What are you making?” she asks, realising she hasn’t really been paying attention to what he’s doing, just that he's next to her.

“Tofu, vegetables and rice, it’s fried and there’s sauce… I’m not a particularly good cook but my Grandmother taught me enough of the staples.”

“Are you vegetarian?” she asks, not so bothered either way but its nice to know - for future meals she's hoping they'll have together.

“No, just not too fond of food poisoning.” He winces and pours noodles into his frying pan, adding sauce afterwards.

“Personal experience?”

“Yes. It was… particularly unpleasant. Once I’d realised I could eat a balanced diet by avoiding meat most of the time I switched to vegetarian options. Unless my grandparents are cooking or I’m in Nando’s, though even there the vegetarian options are as good as the chicken.”

Vesper smiles over the rim of her mug. “You’re quite possibly like no one I’ve ever met.” He looks up at her with a shy smile on his face. “It’s a compliment.”

“Thank you.” He goes back to stirring the content of the pan and adding in broccoli. “I think it’s a side effect of the programming but Nana - that’s what I call my grandmother - says I’m good at programming because I think this way.”

“Always trying to fix a problem, to make something better,” Vesper says. “I spend my job constantly looking for patterns, people, methods and loop holes. So I can appreciate how your mind works, even if I have only a vague idea of what you’re capable of.”

“Well, my papers, Masters dissertations and PhD are on the shelf, you’re welcome to take a look but it’s very specialised, even for my field.”

“I’ll take a look at your maths ones, the rest I think I’ll leave well alone.”

“Okay.” Simon smiles, then turns off the gas and plates up. He hands Vesper a bowl and they go back to the sofa. There is a dining table - of sorts - but it’s got two piles of books, notepads and a laptop on it so it’s best left alone.

“Do you have a piano here?” she asks.

Simon shakes his head. “No. I have a keyboard, though. It’s decent and it does the job when I can’t play in the music department or at home. It’s leaning against my wardrobe. We can play later if you like?”

“Maybe tomorrow,” Vesper says, watching the flash of happiness in Simon’s eyes as he digs into his dinner.

It’s good, Vesper notes, he’s obviously worked hard at this recipe - probably from years of cooking variations of it - and it’s better than some of the things she can cook. She tells him this, as well as admitting how badly she ate at university, as they watch the end of the movie and then lounge in front of the television.

*  
“What do you want to do tomorrow?” he asks after they’ve washed up and relocated to his bedroom.

Vesper going through her suitcase to take out the clothes she wants to wear tomorrow. Her dress creases too easily to be left folded all the time and she doesn’t want to have to ask to use an iron.

“I have some idea,” she says. “There was something I was tentatively planning to do here - besides read and go for walks. We can probably combine it with the latter.”

“Okay, just tell me what I need to wear but I’ll leave the rest as a surprise.”

She puts her dress over the back of the chair at his desk, and looks over at him.

“Are you sure? I don’t mind telling you.”

Simon shakes his head. “I find I’m embracing the element of surprise this weekend and don’t see that I should stop any time soon.” 

Vesper nods and swallows, a little over come all over again. _Where have you been_ , she thinks but at the same time she’s not exactly looked…. or expected finding anyone like him anywhere.

“You can use the bathroom first,” Simon explains, clearly unsure of what else to say.

She makes sure to kiss him on her way out of the room, just incase his mind fills itself with concerns it needn’t. 

***

She takes him to the sealife centre, via the canal. It’s early morning when they set off, washed, dressed and ready for the day - and both in sensible shoes. 

It does take close to an hour to get there but the walk in the early morning is beautiful and they stop at one of the cafes in the square where the sealife centre is before they head inside.

First thing on a Saturday means it’s really not very busy and they can take their time. When they leave a few hours later there is a queue outside the door and the place is heaving.

“Do you want to do anything else today?” Simon asks, walking hand-in-hand around the water fountains and past several restaurants and cafes.

Her smile is telling but just polite enough for the public.

“Well… obviously,” Simon tells her. “But we should eat first, or rather, I’d like to take you out for dinner, nothing fancy, but still.”

She agrees and he takes her down and along the main road of bars, clubs and restaurants. She laughs when he stops in front of their destination.

“Nando’s.”

He smiles and leans in, kissing her cheek and lingering for perhaps a moment longer than he should. 

“It seemed appropriate.”

***

They spend the whole weekend getting to know each other both in-and-out of the bedroom, the university and the city centre. By Sunday night Simon doesn't want her to leave and Vesper seems none too happy about the prospect either.

“When is your train?” he asks her. They’re curled up on Simon’s floor cushion watching the slow progress of canal boats past his window. A rare pleasure he hasn't ever shared with anyone else before.

“I can go back anytime after… 9 I think. The trains are every half an hour or so from the city centre.” Vesper shifts in his arms to get a better look at him. “Do you have any plans for the morning?” she asks.

Simon shakes his head. “No, not really. Nothing I can’t do in the afternoon instead.” He swallows around the question he can’t bring himself to ask. He is relatively certain that Vesper wants this to continue past her return to London tomorrow morning but he’s also terrified of asking when he can see her again. If it’s okay to text her or call her and when it’s okay to do so. He knows her work is both important and something she enjoys doing and he doesn’t want to disturb that. He also wonders if it makes him seem childish… if by asking he’ll remind her of the age difference between them, even though it hasn’t been an issue so far.

“Good. I’ll take a later train then, somewhere around midday should be fine. That way I can spend as much time with you as possible but still get home in time to sort everything out for work on Tuesday morning.”

Simon nods and holds her closer.

“Simon, I do want to see you again. Soon, if you’re free when I am.”

Simon’s feels himself relax, the last waves of anxiety lifted by her words. Vesper can tell because she sits up properly to hold his shoulders and look at him.

“I’m free most weekends, especially at the moment. It’s not always the case but as I said, my work is currently finished. There’s also the Easter holidays in a couple of weeks time and, aside from a visit to my grandparents, I will be here.”

Vesper smiles, then looks away to think. He’s almost certain that he knows what’s on her mind but he gives her her space.

“Do you want me to come back here or would you like to visit me?”

He wasn’t quite expecting that. He blinks at her for a moment as he considers it. “I actually don’t mind, London isn’t my favourite place, as you know, but you’re there and there are lots of things to do.” Honestly, he’ll get on a train and spend his weekend there if it means seeing Vesper again.

“I think… if it’s alright with you that I’ll come back here to see you.”

“Of course it’s alright. When were you thinking of visiting?”

“Next weekend.”

“Next weekend? As in this Friday coming?” he asks, knowing he sounds earnest and confused. 

“Yes.” Vesper bites her lip.

“That would be lovely,” he tells her truthfully. “When should I meet you at the station?” he asks, unable to contain his smile or the happiness blooming in his chest.

Vesper’s smile comes back once she realises he means it and she hugs him. “Some time after 7… maybe even 8, it will depend what time I finish work… but I’ll be here.”

Simon is nodding and agreeing, then he’s kissing her again, over come and overwhelmed but not willing to admit the extent of it to her just yet.

***

The following Sunday finds them in bed, dozing in the light breaking through the gaps in the curtains.

Simon’s ringtone wakes them both up. Simon would rather hide under his pillows than answer it but he does, struggling to flip it open before he answers.

“Hello Nana,” he says, not bothering to hide his yawn. When he checks the clock on his bedside table he sees that it’s barely past 9. Sunday is his designated lie in day before he does all the house work and laundry (which he once again sorted out frantically on Friday so he could have the whole weekend with Vesper again.)

“ _Good morning, sweetheart. I am sorry it’s so early but we have plans with your cousin and her husband today so we thought we’d call now_.” They call on a Sunday and Wednesday. They hadn’t called last week end because they were away in Bath and had instead sent him a postcard. He’s not ever going to be too old to admit that he loves them dearly and welcomes their communication… just maybe not so early; he thinks it must have been close to 3 when he and Vesper finally settled down to sleep.

Vesper is giggling next to him with her face half hidden by the duvet. He smiles at her and leans back against the covers - he sees no reason to get out of bed. 

“It’s okay, I’m still a tad tired.”

His grandmother laughs but she doesn’t ask why. Over the years it has ranged from reading, music, marathoning TV boxsets… the occasions when his ex would stay over… they never pry but they know the odds of him being in bed with someone are low. He doesn’t yet know how to mention Vesper beyond what he told them on Wednesday; that he has met someone and she is wonderful, but it’s early days yet and he'll let them know if it’s serious.

They talk about this and that and he catches them up on a few things, all while Vesper lounges at his side, feet touching, and fingers laced with his.

“ _We’ve had the piano tuned for you,_ ” his grandfather says when he takes the phone from his wife. “So it’s ready to play when you come home for Easter, let us know how long you're planning on staying for and when to pick you up from the station, okay?”

Simon smiles. “I will, thank you. For that and the piano.” 

“ _You’re welcome. Your Nana has a few pieces she would like you to accompany her with, we’ll post them to you tomorrow. I know we could email them but the quality is never the same and it’ll give you something to look forwards to_.”

Simon is smiling so hard his cheeks hurt. “I do look forwards to it, thank you. It’s been nice having more time to play.” He looks at Vesper and then back to the phone. She mouths ‘what?’ at him but doesn't at all seem concerned. “If you or Nana happen to find any piano duet pieces anywhere could you send them to me as well?”

“ _Of course we can, why? Have you finally found someone you can duet with?_ ”

Simon bites his lip so as not to laugh at that. He looks at Vesper when he answers. “Yes.”

“ _Is this by chance the lady friend you mentioned on Wednesday?_ ” his grandfather asks casually.

“Yes, she plays beautifully, but what we can play is limited at the moment and I thought, given how much time you both spend in music shops and the like that you might come across something.”

“ _Of course, we’ll have a look. The charity shops in Gloucester should have something, I imagine. They always seem to have a lot of music books there, but we’ll pop into a few other places as well. I am glad you still play, Simon._ ”

“Me too. I also wouldn't turn down anything that isn’t a duet, incase you find anything of interest.”

His grandfather laughs. “ _Of course_.”

When he hangs up a few minutes later he draws Vesper in against his chest.

“I was thinking… if you’re still planning on coming here next weekend as well I’ll leave on the Monday for my grandparents and stay until the Thursday after Easter, it’s longer than the week I normally spend but I want to take advantage of the fact that I’m less busy now…. for as long as it lasts.”

“Hmm, sounds good. You would be welcome at mine that weekend… if you want.”

“I’d love you, I can come down on the Friday and meet you after work.” This time she smiles up at him and he kisses her, before suggesting they go in search of breakfast.

***


	4. Travelling

There had been a moment the following weekend where Simon almost invited Vesper to his grandparents for the Easter weekend but, because it still feels so new, he’d held back. 

He feels like they’ve known each other for so much longer than the just-over-two-weeks they actually have and he doesn’t want to rush ahead faster than he should. He’s already been holding back the words ‘I love you’ far more often than he ever expected. It’s not that he doesn’t mean it - he does - it’s just that they need more time to get to know each other better before he starts declaring his heart. Simon’s pretty sure the same is true for Vesper.

Even so, they both made a conscious effort to take pictures together this weekend and had them printed in boots before Vesper went home. They’re nothing special - just the two of them in the Sealife centre (again) and along the canal - but they’re special to Simon and he tucks them into his notebook, his bedside table and a zip pocket in his bag. He doesn't put her in his wallet - he wants her close to his heart and not on display.

He takes the crowed train to Cheltenham Spa where his Grandparents pick him up so he’s not forced to endure a bus. He’s happy to see them, so happy he’s sure he smiles the entire car journey back.

*

“The music room is ready when you are,” Nana tells him as he comes back down from his room. He hasn’t brought much - just his suitcase, his shoulder bag that he uses for uni and storing his lap top, and a large gift bag with everyones Easter eggs.

“Warm up and I’ll be in in a minute,” he tells her with a smile, then makes his way into the kitchen for tea.

His grandad is one step ahead of him and hands him his mug of earl grey the moment he walks into the kitchen. It’s lovely in there, exactly as he remembers it, with light wood counter tops and cupboards and fresh white tiles. It has such a warm feel to it and he has so many fond memories of it from growing up that he’s suddenly very glad to be back.

Strange, he thinks, that his room didn’t invoke the same feeling… but he has always wanted to spend more time with his grandparents than on his own and this is where they are… this or the music room.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Simon. How did you and your friend find the duets we sent for you?”

He smiles at the memory. “They’re beautiful. We even managed to draw in a small crowd in the music departments lounge… and she’s…” he looks his grandad directly in the eyes. “Vesper is my girlfriend, as odd as it sounds to say, given how childish I think it sounds, but saying lover.” He looks away as the word makes him blush. “Feels embarrassing and it’s much too early to call her my partner.”

His grandfather smiles. “It took you months to tell us things had gotten serious between you and Marcus.”

Simon grimaces. “And by that point it was almost over anyway.”

“Where is he now?” His grandad asks carefully. He needn’t be so wary but Simon appreciates it anyway.

“I’m not sure. After he graduated he went travelling and doesn't appear to have come home at all. I hear from him every now and again, emails with pictures and travel reports. We parted on good terms and any concern for him I have is because he’s my friend,” he says truthfully. He wonders sometimes if Marcus will ever find what it is he's searching for but wishes him well in the endeavour. That was, after all, why Simon had ended it.

“Vesper is different, isn't she.” _Not a question._

“Yes.” He swallows. “She’s honest and open, wonderfully intelligent… she read my Maths dissertation and followed it without consulting most of the references and when she questioned me about it I had to think about some of the answers. Her intelligence isn’t why I’m with her… she’s funny and warm, beautiful and kind. And she plays piano.” He smiles.

“And she plays piano.” His grandfather shakes his head fondly and pats Simon on the shoulder.

*

He relays his conversation with his grandmother in between the pieces they play. She smiles the whole time, and asks to see the picture he has paper clipped to a music book containing both a lovely piano duet and a several violin and piano duets.

Simon hands her the music book and tries not to watch his grandmothers reaction.

“Nana?” he asks after a strange moment of her staring at it.

“She’s beautiful,” his grandmother comments. “Sorry, it wasn’t really Vesper I was looking at. I haven’t seen you look quite this happy before.” She offers him a kind smile. “That’s not to say I think you’re unhappy, Simon, I know you’re not. This is just a different kind of happiness than I’ve seen from you before.”

He nods, blushing furiously. “It’s barely been two weeks since we met but I agree, I haven’t felt like this before.”

“I know, sweetheart. When the time is right, please feel free to bring her with you when you visit us and she’s welcome to join us when we visit you. I’d very much like to meet her, but only when you’re both ready.”

“Have I told you how much I love and appreciate the fact that you don’t go out of your way to embarrass me when it comes to this?” he says, only half in jest.

“Yes, sweetheart, you have.” She smiles, hands him back the book - at a page she wants to start playing - and holds her violin against her shoulder.

*

“It’s good to hear your voice,” Vesper says. 

“Yours too,” Simon agrees. “I would have called earlier but I know you were in work and, well, I thought it might seem a tad odd, given you went home yesterday.”

Vesper’s laugh is warm in his ear but he’s suddenly acutely aware she’s on the other end of the phone instead of next to him, and he misses her. 

“I know, but still, I appreciated the text.”

They talk for about half an hour or so and Simon feels better once he’s hung up.

*

“Vesper?” Simon asks, having groped for his phone on his bedside table and pushed it against his ear. It’s the Tuesday after Easter and he and his grandparents were up very late the night before with his cousin and her husband. 

“Hello,” she says and Simon melts. 

“Good morning, Vesper.”

She chuckles warmly. “I know it’s very early and I know we spoke yesterday but there was something I wanted to ask you, and apparently before I leave for work is the best time to do it.” She sounds a little guilty and Simon wonders - just for a heart sinking moment - if she has to cancel their plans this coming weekend. 

“Is everything okay?” he asks anyway, knowing her well enough by now to know she wouldn't cancel without good reason.

“Yes, I can’t deny how good it is to hear your voice, by the way. By the sounds of it you had a good night.”

“Hm, yes, we did.”

“Good. Well, I was wondering, and you can say no if you want to or if you have other plans, but you could stay here longer than just next weekend - if you wanted to - you could work during the day - I have the best internet connection London has to offer - and we could spend evenings together, we wouldn’t even have to go anywhere.”

The words are out of his mouth before he can stop them. “I’d love to, that would - yes. Please.”

He can almost feel Vesper smiling on the other end, and once again the words ‘I love you’ are too close to the surface. He resolves to tell her next weekend.

“Wonderful. You can go back to sleep, I’ll speak to you later.”

“Thank you,” Simon finds himself saying.

“You’re welcome. I miss you.”

Simon’s heart stutters in his throat. “I miss you too.” _so much, so very much._

*

“You give our best to your girl,” his grandfather says, giving Simon a hug on the station platform. They have a good few minutes until his train is due but he doesn’t like to rush his goodbyes.

“I will, I’m sure she’ll appreciate being called that,” he says with sincerity. “I’ll call you when I get home, I’ll also let you know when I get to London tomorrow.”

“Okay, Sweetheart,” Nana says. He hugs her next. “It’s be lovely to have you here, you know where we are if ever you need anything.”

He nods, feeling a little teary. He always tends to when he says good bye to them, even now.

“I’ll see you in a few weeks, I’ll let you know when I’m home and when you can visit. I promise I’ll let Vesper know she’s welcome.”

They hug him and fuss a little and see him onto the train, waving as it pulls away from the station.

When the train is well on it’s way and he’s watching the world go by he can’t help but remember a time he used to visit them as a child and had to leave again. At the time he never thought anything was unusual about his summers at his grandparents house or his visits during the holidays. It wasn’t until the final summer when his visit became a permanent move (he was 12) that he started to understand. And even then he knows it’s very normal for grand children to spend long holidays with grandparents. It was more the reasons he was doing so that left the scars.

Vesper hasn’t asked about his parents - not once - but he supposed she took one look at his flat and understood they were not a part of his life. She can sympathise, having lost her parents at a young age, and therefore he knows he doesn't have to face a plethora of questions - the likes of which some of his well meaning friends have tried to ask.

They are gone and that is all there is to it. The how and the why doesn’t change the present situation, it can’t. There are reasons there aren't any pictures of his parents in his or his grandparents house; with the exception of the photos from when his mother was a little girl. To exclude them would have been to exclude his aunt and no one in the family is or was prepared to do that - there are no more. He suspects theres a box somewhere in the house filled with them and he wouldn't ever ask or want his grandparents to part with them…. he’s just glad he doesn’t have to look.

Simon knows that it is the one thing he won't easily tell anyone about. Not for a very long time. 

***

He arrives in Euston station a good hour or so before rush hour can start, with full directions to her place of work. He has almost exactly the same amount of luggage as he did when he went to his grandparents but without the chocolate.

He navigates the tube with relative ease and times it well enough that he can wait comfortably in a small park near by. 

Vesper can barely contain her smile as she gets closer to him and he wraps her in his arms the moment she’s close enough.

“Hello,” she says, kissing him warmly. “You are a wonderful sight to behold after the day I’ve had, though you would be anyway, believe me.”

Simon chuckles and squeezes her closer for a moment. “I do,” he says against her ear. 

“Shall we?” she asks when they stand back and hold hands.

“Yes.”

*

Vesper’s flat is small but actually much nicer than she described it. It’s clean and has a light and open feel to it, helped by the pale wood shelving, furniture, and open plan kitchen and living area. 

She has a large selection of books, some photos of her friends from school and university and other bits and pieces.

She has a lovely electric piano against one wall and he can tell how much sheet music and how many books she has for it. He smiles when he sees the copies of the duets he’d copied for her open on the stand.

“I think I would have driven everyone else in the building mad had I bought an acoustic piano instead,” Vesper says as she comes over to him and hands him a mug of tea.   
“It’s not quite the same as the real thing but they keys are weighted so it’s close enough.”

“It looks lovely,” he says - because it does. His is the keyboard-only version does have an internal amp and speakers but it doesn't have the built-in stand or any pedals. It’s enough to tide him through and he does have access to the music department so it’s not so bad for him.

“We can play later, if you want to?”

Simon smiles, and sips his tea. “After dinner?”

“Yes.”

He follows her over to her sofa and places his mug on the little table to the side of it. 

Vesper looks at him, asking silent permission, and he lies himself down, folding her into his arms when she joins him.

He breathes her in and holds her close, letting her tangle their legs together and settle down. Vesper has one hand in his hair and the other on his back. They’re not holding on tightly, it’s a more restful embrace. Simon is warm inside and out, happy and relaxed and somewhat overjoyed to just be there with her.

He swallows against words he wants to say, wonders if its okay just to say them.

He removes his glasses and manages to put them on the table behind him, hand returning to Vesper’s hair immediately afterwards.

“I really have missed you,” Vesper says, nuzzling against his jumper.

“And I’ve missed you too,” he reassures her, breathing her in again.

“Simon?”

“Yes?”

She shifts to sit up a bit, arms folded on his chest. He runs his fingers through her hair, stroking her cheek and not shying away from her gaze - no matter how exposed he feels. 

“I love you,” she says quietly, a shy smile blooming slowly on her face.

“I was just thinking the same thing.”

“What? That I love you?”

Simon laughs. “No, that I love you.” He swallows. “I really, really love you.” His smile is so wide and he feels so overwhelmed he might cry.

She giggles, happy tears building in her eyes. She drops back down onto him and holds him tightly.

“I’ve never said that to anyone before,” she admits against his neck.

“Neither have I.” He’d loved his ex but he’d never been ready to hear the words and Simon felt disinclined to admit them to someone he knew wouldn’t say them back.  
With Vesper it had felt too soon - until he’d heard her say them, now all he feels is happiness.

*

They lounge and cuddle, sharing lazy kisses and warm smiles.

“Are you hungry?” Vesper asks a few hours later.

“Probably,” Simon tells her. “I’m not always the best at knowing when I should eat.”

“Lost in your work?” she kisses his nose.

“Normally.” He cups her face again and kisses her, revelling in her soft lips and warmth, and the little sigh he hears when they part.

“I was planning on cooking for you but I think that might take too long. Scrambled egg on toast?” she suggests.

“Sounds perfect.”

He gets up with her, taking a closer look at her kitchen and helping by making them tea.

“You bought my favourite tea,” he says, opening the box of loose leaf earl grey tea.

“I’ve gotten so used to drinking it at your house that I wanted to have it here as well. And I wanted you to feel more at home here.”

Simon bites his lip. “I do.”

“You haven’t even seen the bedroom yet.”

He laughs and stands closer to her, placing his hand on the small of her back.

“Should I be worried?” he asks, not at all concerned.

“No, its decidedly ordinary I’m afraid.”

“Like mine.”

“It might be the only ordinary thing about you.” She meets his eyes. “Honestly, Simon, I’ve never met anyone like you.”

“I… Vesper…”

“It’s a compliment.”

Simon smiles. “I have just over two weeks until I have to go back to university, normally I wouldn’t take my full Easter holiday… but this time I want to, and I want to stay here, if you’ll have me.”

“I’d be delighted, you know I would.” She turns from the stove and kisses his cheek. “I also wasn’t sure how long you wanted to stay so I booked Monday and Tuesday as holiday.”

“You can show me around, then,” he suggests, stepping back so as not to get in her way when she starts on the eggs.

“If you let me know what you want to do I’ll take you, left to my own devises I am really not that social. I tend to find a good place to relax and read and that’s about as far as I get.” She considers something for a second as Simon butters the toast. “Or I swim. I probably should have asked if you wanted to come with me.”

“I don’t actually own any swimming trunks at all, I haven’t been swimming since I started university, so it wouldn’t have mattered if you’d mentioned it in advance. I should, though, get a new pair, so we can go.”

“You don’t mind?”

He shakes his head. “It sounds like fun… unless you’re a really serious lane swimmer? In that case I’ll stay in the slow lane.”

Vesper turns off the hob and divides the egg between the buttered toast.

“I do swim to keep fit, but we’ll go during general swimming hours.” She kisses him. “You looked horrified for just a moment.”

“The kind of pool I’m used to has water rides above it and a huge diving board at one end… your pool sounds more serious.”

Vesper shrugs. “It can be, it’s in an adult gym… but mid morning, when most people are at work, it’s just filled with people who want to relax rather than do laps. You’ll be fine.” She takes her plate and mug to the small table near the window and waits until Simon has joined her before she asks her next question. “Where is that pool? The one you’re used to?”

“Gloucester town centre. My grandparents would take me during the summer holidays and on some weekends.”

“Sounds nice.” She eats her food quietly, relaxing down into her seat and sliding a foot between Simon’s. “Is there a pool on your campus?”

“Yes, I just can’t afford to join the sports centre and balance everything else. There is another one not too far away… but I’ve just never bothered.” He’s never had any drive or reason to go; his exercise is usually the long walks he takes around campus, the city and the canals. He can understand why Vesper goes; London is so busy that being able to shut off in a pool is probably a good source of peace.

“Well we can head into town early tomorrow if you like? Shop for anything you need before it gets too busy, though probably best to leave the swimming until Monday.”  
Simon can’t think of anything to say so he just nods and gets back to his food, catching Vespers eye and smiling from time to time until they’re finished and decide to play the piano.

*

He wakes the next morning to Vesper looking at him, her eyes shining in the light from the curtains.

“You looked so peaceful that I didn’t want to wake you,” she says, running her fingers through his curls.

“You are a glorious sight to wake up to.” He covers his yawn with the back of his hand. “What time is it?”

“Half past Seven.”

Simon snuggles in closer to her. “Do we have to get up yet?”

She laughs. “No, not for another half an hour.”

“Then I’m going to stay right here,” he tells her and feels her arms squeeze him in response.

*

Having Simon in her flat and in her life is everything she did and didn’t expect. She had thought a lot about what it would be like to have him with her for more than just a weekend… to see him first thing in the morning and when she got home at night.

He gets up with her in the morning when she goes to work - staying out of her way so that she can get ready - and he’s usually sat at either his computer or the piano in the evenings. 

The biggest surprise for her is the second Saturday, a whole week into his stay.

She reaches for him - as she had been doing every morning - but he’s not there. She can’t hear the shower running or any noise from her bathroom so she slides out of bed and heads to the lounge and kitchen.

There she finds Simon at her piano; headphones over his ears and shoulders hunched over the keys. He’s playing like his life depends on it and even though she can only hear the sounds of the keys moving she knows its a sad piece.

Vesper feels as though she's intruding and wonders how long he’s been awake… or how often he does this when he’s at home. It’s strange, given his electric piano is propped up somewhere in his flat most of the time, that he’s playing like this now.

Even so, she doesn’t move from the doorway.

She watches him for another quarter of an hour until Simon sits up and takes off his headphones. He turns around and sees her standing there and his face is almost unreadable.

Vesper pads across the carpet towards him, and he watches her as she does. She doesn’t quite know why she does it but she sits down at his side and places her hands in her lap.

Simon swallows, the sound loud in the silence of the flat.

“Sometimes,” he says. “Sometimes it helps me to think, or to stop thinking. I don’t have to be playing it, I have my CD player with me as well, but this morning I felt like I needed to.”

“It’s okay,” she tells him quietly. “I just didn’t want to disturb you.”

His smile is sad and his eyes this close up are red, whether from crying or lack of sleep she can’t tell.

“Is it London? I know it can get too much sometimes.”

Simon shakes his head then adjusts his glasses on his nose.

“No, I find being here with you or in your flat makes the city much more bearable.” He turns to look over and out of the window. “It might sound a little odd but sometimes so much happiness can remind me of other, more unpleasant, things. Things I spend a good deal of my time not remembering at all.”

She doesn’t ask, the moment feels far too fragile for that.

“As logical as I am I have always found that I feel things a tad too keenly. Happiness and sadness both. This morning I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep, I felt far too restless to stay in bed so I came out here to play. There are a few pieces I’ve always found helped at times like these. I can’t compose, so I express it through the others who’ve felt the same way and been gifted enough to put it onto paper. I am sorry, I’m not usually so melancholy.” 

Vesper takes his hand in hers, barely having time to react when Simon turns back and collapses onto her, pressing his face to her shoulder and taking deep, steadying breaths.

She holds him as close and as well as possible on the piano stool, teaching for the right thing to say.

“I have always thought that music is the best way of expressing an emotion, that it’s possible to feel love or pain or joy with sound… to either compliment or change your mood. Sometimes, when I’ve been lonely it’s helped me to feel less so, to feel peaceful when I’m nearing the end of my tether, or give me a call to arms when I need it.”

“You are not alone, Vesper,” Simon whispers.

“Not anymore, no.” She smiles as she recognises the truth in it and holds Simon until they’re both ready to face the day


	5. The Past, Present and Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vesper learns more about Simon's past. They both build their future.

He had felt wretched to leave her last weekend, having grown used to her extended presence in his life.

She had agreed, with very little encouragement, to join him this weekend and meet his grandparents.

He’s already met them and seen them to their hotel before he returns to the train station to meet Vesper. They’re not meeting up with his grandparents until a little later that evening so they have time to get back to Simon’s and for Vesper to get changed.

“How do I look?” she asks, turning to show him her beautiful pale green summer dress and emerald green cardigan.

“Utterly lovely, as always.” He takes down his own summer jacket and slips it on, making sure he has his phone, wallet and keys with his as well. Though he would normally have his bag with him, his grandparents want to take them out to dinner - nothing fancy - but nice enough that he doesn’t want to bring it with it.

Vesper has likewise only brought a small shoulder bag with her, also foregoing both a book and her notepad. She looks nervous - which he can appreciate - but theres a light in her eyes, a happiness he wants to see more of.

“Shall we?” he asks, offering his arm the same way she had done to him that first evening.

“Yes.”

*

Simon’s grandmother - Marigold - is instantly and genuinely pleased to see her, and his granddad - though a little more reserved - seems delighted.

Vesper very much gets the impression that Simon has either never done this before, or only very rarely. Either way she feels instantly put at ease and follows them into the restaurant.

They clearly love their grandson very much and there’s an open warmth between them that she thinks is probably missing in most families out there. There’s nothing forced and no resentment, only an edge of something she can’t quite place.

She wonders - though she can’t ask - which of his parents was their child. She has managed to work out that the circumstances behind him going to live with them are not normal. Even she has a photograph of her parents in her flat, thought all the rest of them are her self made family from boarding school. She’s still in touch with most of them, but their education has taken them all round the world so its mostly letters and emails now.

She still doesn’t mind at all that she doesn’t know what happened - despite how it feels she and Simon have only been together for six weeks. She just can’t help but wonder. She also can’t imagine them being more loving or wonderful than his grandparents seem to genuinely be. 

When Simon and his grandfather head off for a walk around an area she’s staring to know well - near the sealife centre - Marigold turns her attention to Vesper.

“He hasn’t ever introduced us to anyone like this before,” she confides.

“How do you mean?”

“We met Marcus on a couple of occasions but only in the company of Simon’s other friends… I think maybe Simon knew it wasn’t likely to last between them, so he did it to make things easier. For him more than for us. He clearly likes you very much.”

Vesper looks over and sees him sat with his grandfather at the top of the large steps near the fountain, quietly talking about something or another.

“I haven’t ever been in a position to be introduced to someone else’s family, so for me this is a first as well.”

Marigold offers her a kind smile. “Are you coming to his graduation?” she asks.

Vesper nods. “Yes, he says he’s managed to get enough tickets and work have approved my holiday request, I think they’re pleased I’m taking my holiday in a more organised and balanced fashion.”

“We’ll be back before then, of course, and if you’re here that weekend you’re welcome to come with us, unless you feel we’d be intruding on your time with him?”

Vesper shakes her head. “No, no, as new as this all is it’s nice to take our time in that respect, as much as it feels like we’ve rushed ahead in others.”

Marigold’s openness means Vesper is less worried about how that would come across. Simon has told her about his Nana’s tendency not to assume and just to take the things people say at face value. She suspects his granddad isn’t quite so open but some people just aren’t.

“If it’s what you’re both comfortable with I wouldn’t let it bother you. When I was growing up and people tried to talk to me about when I was getting married or how things were going I hated it, I didn’t understand why people assumed so much and wanted everything to be done a certain way. Me and William have never followed those rules, you and Simon shouldn’t either.”

“Thank you for saying so. Even now, working for the treasury they still expect all of the women to marry at a certain age and have children… then they seem irritated when someone does. It seems like such a paradox.”

Marigold looks very much like she understands. “You’re one of the best in your field, I looked into a few things once Simon had told me your name. Your work speaks for its self regardless of anything else, they probably hold you in a much higher regard than they let you believe.”

Vesper laughs quietly. “I want to bring you with me to my next yearly progress review as a character reference.”

“My advice would be just to be yourself and let them worry about the rest. As I said; you’re clearly very good at your job and at a better place - society wise - to pursue your career as far as you chose to.”

Vesper’s face creases in concern. “Forgive me for asking, but did society prevent you?”

Marigold shakes her head. “No, not at all. I left when I wanted to, when Simon came to live with us. I still did some work from home but only enough to make sure he had everything he needed for school. We’re both retired now so it makes things easier.”

Their conversation is interesting and Marigold tells Vesper a little about what she used to do, how she ended up working with computers from her previous work as a Maths teacher at a sixth form college. 

Vesper is both inspired and disappointed when the evening comes to an end.

“Everything okay?” Simon asks once they’re home.

“Yeah. Your grandmother is wonderful.”

Simon smiles, yawns and then kisses her. “You can tell me more in the morning,” he says, undressing the moment he gets into his bedroom. “But I’m exhausted.”

Vesper strips and heads to the bathroom, by the time she’s out he’s awake enough to put his arms around her but falls asleep the moment he does.

She lies in a peaceful quiet of her own until sleep claims her a while afterwards.

***  
Simon graduates - with his first PhD - and is well on his way to working on his second. Vesper continues to visit more weekends than not and life continues on.

They argue over the small things; Simon doesn’t think she needs to dress so strongly, and Vesper thinks he works too hard, but they talk and work through it. Simon confides that for such a long time his work has been his driving force and a safe place to focus his energy… it’s different now and he finds himself working harder during the weeks so that he can spend his weekends with her. Vesper tells him more about her work place and the pressures she faces, about the conversation with his grandmother and that she is - slowly but surely - becoming more comfortable in her own skin.

“Are you sure about this?” he asks her, stood on the platform.

It’s early September, a quiet time of the year for Vesper to take her holiday, and for Simon to take a couple of weeks off from uni. He’s already spent a week with her in London in late July and has spent the intervening weeks getting to grips with his most recent research project. The engineering department have been very accommodating and he’s found himself as interested in his work there as he is in front of his computer.

“Your grandparents are lovely and the weathers holding up, I’m looking forwards to it,” she reassures him, squeezing his hand tightly in hers.

“I know, it’s just…”

“A big step?”

Simon nods. “Yes. And I know we’re on the same page but this still feels…important.”

“That’s because it is.” She smiles, and if she is nervous about the prospect of two weeks in the cotswolds she isn’t showing it.

*  
His grandparents meet them at the station then drive them to their house. It’s lovely, almost exactly how she pictured it, yet also taller, somehow. The pictures and postcards always make the houses look so small. The reality is a little different. 

They leave them to it and Simon shows her around, the music room, front room, kitchen… both bathrooms and then his bedroom.

There’s a double bed, pale green walls and a desk and book shelves on one side. The signs of his childhood and teenage years are on those shelves and stuck to the sides of his wardrobe, but the bed and walls around it are clear of any clutter and posters. 

“I can’t take any of the credit for the drawer or wardrobe space; Nana cleared out everything I haven’t worn in years… which is most of it, so you’ll have space for your things. And if it’s more comfortable for you, you can sleep on the side of the bed not against the wall… there isn’t enough room to pull it out and still get to everything.” He’s sheepish, almost shaking with nerves and Vesper isn’t sure she knows why.

“Simon,” she says gently. “Come here.” 

He puts down his laptop bag on his desk and shuffles across the floor, holding onto her tighter than she expected.

They both do this from time to time, hold on tighter without spoken explanation, needing unquestionable support.

“I love you and I’m right here,” she says against his ear. “But I can’t help but feel that there is something you need to tell me, or that you want to.”

He nods against her shoulder and his fingers fist in her hair.

“I’ve never told anyone, not ever. And no one here will mention it, no one will make you feel like you’re the only one who doesn't know… most of the family don’t,” he explains, his voice still muffled. “And if I don’t tell you it will make it all seem so much…” 

“Simon, all I care about is how it affects you. Your past is your past. Sweetheart it’s okay.”

She holds him until he relaxes in her arms.

“I think we should go for a walk, will you let my grandparents know we’re going out for a bit?”

“Of course.” 

He cups her face and kisses her. “I’ll be okay, I’ll meet you outside.”

Vesper takes a last look at him then heads down to tell his grandparents. If they notice theres anything wrong they don’t show it and she heads out the door shortly after Simon.

*

“I grew up in Manchester with my mother and father, but spent every summer from the age of 4 with my grandparents. My father encouraged my mother, said it would be good for me to spend some time with her family. My paternal grandparents died when I was still a baby and there weren’t any other relatives.” He concentrates on the stream running along next to them and Vesper’s hand in his.

“My childhood was happy and I had absolutely no idea what was going on, even now I couldn’t tell you how it started.” They keep walking until they find somewhere they can sit down together in private, with the main tourist season over its quieter than it can be in the middle of summer.

Vesper sits at his side as he tells her as best he can the circumstances surrounding the summer he came to stay in Gloucestershire permanently. 

“I knew it had to be something serious, for there not to be any pictures anywhere, but that wasn’t what I expected,” Vesper says, her voice cracking with the effort to stay calm.

Simon doesn’t blame her. “What bothered me most was that he knew what she was doing but didn’t stop her, and though he saved me in the end, I can’t help but think he could have saved her, too, if he’s just told someone before it went too far.” He shakes his head. “I hated chemistry at school, passed it because I had to but ignored it unless it was relevant to physics or maths… recently engineering… but though it shouldn’t remind me of it, it does.” He shakes his head. “It feels as though she wasted her talent, her skill… and he didn’t stop her. How can you love someone so much that you let them kill you?” He’s angry but sounds sad instead.

Vesper looks away sharply. “I don’t know,” she admits. “I would want to do everything I could to save them, everything in my power. I think I’d rather sacrifice myself.”

“Vesper.” He reaches for her, wanting to see her face, to see her.

She’s crying when she turns back to him, taking his hand again. “I’m sorry.”

“What for?” he asks, wiping away her tears.

“I feel like I’ve spoken out of turn.”

“Oh, Vesper, you haven’t, you can’t. It means more to me that I’ve been able to put into words that you’ve never asked me about them…. but I wanted to tell you, I’m glad you know. I’ve never been able to tell anyone else. And… and I agree with you, that’s why there are no pictures, no reminders of them. She… used her talents for ill and he let her. Looking back I sometimes don’t know if I was sent away for my own sake or for his.”

“I will always, always fight for you, Simon, I promise,” she tells him fiercely, tears spilling down her cheeks. She means it, the strength in her eyes over whelming.

“So will I, for you, always.” Then he’s kissing her and standing so that he can hold her in his arms, and allow himself to feel the unexpected fierceness of her love for him.

*

Vesper has taken quite a liking to the baby grand in the house and plays it whenever she's left to her own devices. Simon has joined her almost every time.

“I honestly haven’t ever played piano like this, and never this much.”

Simon grins at her, “Neither have I, I never thought I could enjoy it so much either.” Playing piano with Vesper is like another layer of communication, another way to express how much he loves her.

“I think your grandparents invited me for Christmas earlier.”

“Ah, I thought they might. They asked me while you were in the shower but insisted on asking you themselves. Would you like to? Come here for Christmas, that is?”

“Yes. I’d love to.” Her fingers glide over the keys then rest on his. “I almost don’t want to go home.”

“Almost?” he teases, bumping her shoulder.

“Yes. I’m glad we opted to spend the last few days of our holiday at your flat, though we’re not exactly loud in bed… I find I’ve been terrified to make any noise.”

“The walls are very thick.” He reminds her, even though he knows what she means. They don’t even usually have sex all that often, but he’s been wary of even the tame and non sexual noises they’ve made, sometimes hilariously so. “And I think our giggling is a tad more suspicious.”

“True, still, before I go back to London I think we should spend some time in your flat.”

He turns his palm under hers and slides their fingers together.

“Sounds lovely.”

***

A year and a half later, Simon is just finished with his second PhD, he’s written up and gone through his viva, published the paper he’s been hoping will garner attention from the right places and taken note of those attending his talk.

He’s in his office when there’s a knock at the door. It’s too early for it to be Vesper - as she’s still on her train - having volunteered for the graduate talks this year - and the year before. 

“Come in.” It is during his open office hours for undergraduates, but the one stood in his doorway is not from the computer science or engineering department. “Ah, Laura, good morning, come in.” 

“Thank you.” Laura is a first year maths student and flautist, but he knows her both from the orchestra he joined, after being asked by the music department, and the time he and Vesper rescued her from a potentially difficult situation with her visiting parents.

He wonders if they have some kind of joint radar for these things, but neither of them had been willing to stand by and pretend they couldn’t hear what was going on.

“I got my marks this morning for my computer science module,” she says, taking the offered seat and putting her bag on the floor. “90s across the board. I know it’s only a twenty credit module… but it’s something.”

Simon’s smile beams. “It is, considering your previous experience with programming was limited. How are you feeling about the rest of your exams?”

Laura shrugs. “I have the whole Easter holidays to revise and go over everything… and thanks to your help - and that of my tutor - I’m sure I’ll be fine. I know I only have to pass this year but I want my Masters so I’m still going to work hard.”

“Good, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but where will you be staying over Easter?”

“I called Annie and she and her parents have agreed that I can stay with them for some of it. I brought as much as I could with me when I moved into halls so there isn’t anything I want to go back for, they’re even driving down to help me move into my new room… I need to thank you for that.”

“For what?”

“I know you had something to do with it.”

Simon shrugs and sips at his mug of tea. “I just thought you’d be happier in halls with your own ensuite room than sharing a house.”

“A very secure halls of residence,” Laura comments, it would be offhanded if he didn’t know how very sharp and astute she is. He’s also not ashamed of the background checks he's ran on her - both to provide her the means to separate her from her parents - and to make sure he can safeguard her for at least the time she’s at university… and maybe also to make sure he could trust her. He can, of course, he wouldn’t be helping her otherwise.

“Yes, well, it seemed only fair.”

“Because you’re leaving after you graduate.”

“Yes.”

“Are you moving in with Vesper?” she asks, taking the fresh mug of tea he offers her. “I mean, I know you are, I just wanted to say it to see you blush like that.” she giggles and suddenly looks a lot younger than 19. It’s astounding given she was too nervous to say much at all at the start of the academic year.

“Yes, I am. I’ve also applied for the job I’ve been working towards,” he confides, trusting Laura not to pry.

“But, of course, whether thats as a pianist or something more computer based is debatable.”

“I do like to keep people guessing. Did you want to practice this morning? Vesper won’t be here for a couple of hours - she has to attend the welcome lunch before she can come up here.”

“At least the free food is nice.”

“True.”

“But, no, I more just came to talk and update you. When are you here till?”

“Uni here or…”

“Uni here, I know you’re going to stay with Vesper and your grandparents over Easter.”

“I’ll be here until I graduate, even if I haven’t gotten a job by that point. Laura, really, there are plenty of talented graduates, I’ll move in with Vesper for a while.”

“Simon, I’m surprised they -whoever they are - haven’t already made you an offer… but I do suppose checking references can take a while.”

“It can. I’ll be around if you need anything during exam term, I was a maths undergraduate as well, you know.”

“I do, and thank you. I’m spending the afternoon with friends.” She looks down into her mug and fidgets with her hair. “I hate to ask this, but, they can’t come back right? They don’t have any legal rights over me?”

“They will not and they do not. If you ever think they might then you should call me or contact me - even once I’ve left. I don’t make empty promises.”

She smiles, the light coming back into her eyes. “Neither do I.”

***

“You’ll be fine,” Vesper soothes, running her hand down Simon’s back under the bedcovers.

“It still doesn’t guarantee me the job.” He sighs. “There are others who are as good as me - maybe even better.”

Vesper frowns down at him. “That might be the first time I’ve heard you talk like this.”

“It’s true. I’m one of the very best in the world, I’d even say I’m in the top 4, maybe 5 in my fields… but it’s not going to matter if I’m not what they want.”

“I know it’s not always the best advice but I’d recommend you being yourself for this. Your brilliant, dazzling self.”

“Just don’t flirt with them?” he says, finally feeling a little lighter.

“Maybe not, no. Then you can tell me what it is exactly you’ve applied for. I’m well aware I’ve passed whatever background check they’ve run on me.”

“Ah, yes. They weren’t particularly subtle about that, I’m afraid… they should have been.”

“My boss thought it was me applying for the job there. He seemed relieved I was staying.”

Simon chuckles, then presses his face against her chest and closing his eyes.

“I will tell you, I’m afraid I’ll jinx it if I talk about it before hand, but it will mean I’m in London permanently and we might even be able to afford a small flat out in the Docklands.”

“Hmmm, that sounds good.”

‘What part?”

“All of it.”

“Hmm, yes, I agree.” He looks up at her and meets her eyes in the near dark of the room, then shuffles up the bed to rest his head besides hers on the pillow. “I’ll miss it.”

“Your university?”

“Yes. I’ve grown rather fond of it over the last six years. But, both you and almost any job I would want are here in London so this is where I’ll be.”

Vesper smiles and leans over, kissing him gently, rubbing her nose with his before sliding her hand around his waist.

He knows as well as she does that she can support them both in her current flat until he finds something else - should this not work out - but Vesper knows how important this mystery job is to him.

For him it’s everything he needs; using his skills for the good of the country and ensuring he’s never bored whilst doing it. It’s perfect… hard work and probably at least a little bit dangerous but it’s better than being a vigilante - even with Vesper as his moral compass… he won’t entangle her in that kind of mess or danger.

“What do you want to do afterwards?” she asks.

“Collapse on the sofa with you.”

“Sounds lovely.”

“Hmm, yes, it does.” He snuggles closer again and tries to count her breaths, to fall asleep to them and finally, eventually, he succeeds.

***  
Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next part of the series will be posted soon but I would still LOVE to know what you think of this!


End file.
